I would be remiss if I didn't post at all for the month, so just a few notes to jot down.
Hannah started her TK (transitional kindergarten) class this month, and it's off to a great start. She chose an apple green bedazzled shirt, black cheetah print skirt, pink shoes and a blue headband for her first day of school outfit. As she told me many times while we walked through the store together, "if it's not my fashion, it's not my fashion" as I tried to coax her into an outfit that actually matched. But in the end, she looked just adorable. Hannah's been very busy making new friends, continuing with her swimming, and starting out in tap class. And we've got the birthday party circuit keeping us busy too, as her friends turn "a whole handful" - that's 5 years old to the rest of the world.
Max is growing by leaps and bounds. He is cruising and wants to be on his feet as much as possible. He's at the impossible age, where he can't be left alone for a minute, yet also can't walk, talk, or eat anything interesting. It's very challenging for us, especially given how accustomed we are to Hannah's independence. But he is the happiest baby I've ever seen, and his eyes and smile can melt anyone. He's also made great progress with his helmet, and we're hopefully halfway through the process already.
I had my wisdom teeth out, which was far worse than I anticipated. It's been over two weeks already and I'm not completely healed yet. I'm glad it's behind me, but I definitely didn't have the mini-vacation I thought sitting at home, high on pain killers, would be!
Marc and I had a wonderful time at Mike and Justin's wedding this month. I'm so happy for the guys, and I'm proud to live in a state where they can make their commitment official. I was totally proud of Carol too, seeing her in action as a minister. I was so happy to see all of my friends "grown up" - everyone is with someone, everyone has their life on track. And it was fun to spend a night out with my husband, all dressed up with no one to take care of for once (thanks F&J!).
The Temple Emanuel Community BBQ went off perfectly, and I was very happy with my contribution to the day. We had music, juggling, face painting, balloon twisting and a bouncy house. I think the kids had a great time, and I got a lot of compliments. I just need to motivate myself to write it all up for the committee, and then I'll be done.
And today we went to the Eric Carle Museum of Picturebook Art. It was a cute little museum, and a fun afternoon. As Marc said, one thing done off of the "we should do that..." to do list. Tomorrow we're hoping for apple picking, but we'll see how well the weather cooperates.
Rosh Hashanah begins on Monday night - hard to believe, but we've been able to do so much this month since the holidays are so late this year. The next few weeks will be a mishmash of work and synagogue days, which is a bit tough for me given the uncertainty in the financial world right now. But I suppose having something spiritual to focus on might give me a better overall perspective.
Wishing you all a happy and healthy 5769! Shana tova!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Sunday, August 31, 2008
August Adventures
Our family has made up for so much lost summer time over the past three weekends, and I finally feel like we've had some good summer fun.
We spent a weekend in Bridgton, Maine, at Camp Kingswood. The event was sponsored by Hannah's preschool, and we spent a lovely Shabbat with other small children and their families. Since I LOVED my summers at GUCI in Zionsville, Indiana, it was a blast to get to introduce Hannah and Max to the camp experience. We slept in a cabin (though I don't remember the beds being so awful when I was 10 or 12!), ate in the dining hall, swam in a lake, tried archery, did arts & crafts, went to services, had song sessions, got bug bites and scraped knees, had a campfire and made smores. We told each other stories (about the "Fish Tailor" or "Fish Taler" depending on your telling) to get to sleep and met interesting people. It was wonderful to spend three days as a family, without TV and housework distracting us. Hannah left telling new friends that she'd be back next year.
The following weekend was a little more low-key, with Tot Shabbat on Saturday and a trip to the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston on Sunday. Marc's parents joined us for the zoo, which worked well. When they left they took Hannah with them, and she spent most of the past week in Hartford, as her school was closed. We've never been apart for so long, and I missed her so much. However, she had an amazing time there, getting lavished with attention (and lots of new toys!). And it was great to have the alone time with Max, who is getting so big so quickly. He now has four teeth and is doing some real crawling, though he seems to prefer scooting around on his belly when he can manage it. He also seemed to find his voice while Hannah was gone, taking the opportunity to get a word in, finally!
On Thursday night the three of us drove to Hartford and reunited with Hannah. And then we really packed all the best parts of summer into one day that Friday. We got up pretty early and drove to Hammonasset Beach, getting to the beach for the first time all summer. Hannah loves being in the water and jumping in the waves, and Max seems to like it too, though I did have to stop him from gnawing on a rock he found in the sand! It was a little cool, so we didn't spend much time there, and found a great place for lunch - coincidentally named Fish Tale! We had a nice lunch outside and Hannah got to ride on a carousel, another staple of summer in New England. After lunch we headed out to the Mystic Aquarium, which we've tried to get to for the last three summers, and we finally made it. Hannah has been very into jellyfish, and had a great time there. We just didn't feel like ending the day, so after dinner we decided to try mini-golf (or putt-putt, which is what I really want to call it!). It was a bit tough since one of us had to hold Max the entire time, but Hannah actually seemed to enjoy it. I know that was influenced by Troy Bolton being a golf pro in High School Musical 2, but hey, whatever it takes. It was a truly great day, and I'm so glad we did it.
Saturday was also busy, with a wedding for one of Marc's MANY cousins. Josh and Michelle looked so happy, and the weather was mostly agreeable. It was great to see all of our extended family. Hannah is totally in her element at a wedding, and many thanks for the bride and groom for graciously dancing with her so often! Max also seemed to have a great time. He loved the music and, if I may say so myself, loved dancing with his mommy. He looked very handsome in his little sailor suit, and Hannah was very pretty in her pink gingham dress. Afterward my in-laws offered to watch the kids so Marc and I could go out, and we had a great dinner at a place we'd never been to before, but hope to definitely go back to again.
And today we went to Old Sturbridge Village. We were lucky to get in for free today as a benefit of our membership in the local PBS affiliate, which was worth the membership fee right there! Hannah got so into it, and our aspiring fashion designer loved seeing the old spinning wheels and looms and, of course, the clothes. She was the perfect age to enjoy all the activities, and I had fun making dipped candles and a candle holder with her.
The best part of this busy weekend is that I still have tomorrow off! I'll be able to get the laundry done and the house put back together before we have to get back to work and a very busy week coming up. And I actually had the time to sit and write this very long post, which never would have occurred under normal circumstances. Four day weekends are awesome!!!
So I'm now ready for fall to bring it on. The next few weeks are going to be a bit challenging - I have wisdom tooth removal to look forward to - but also another wedding coming up and our temple annual BBQ, which I have been helping to plan. Then the High Holidays begin. There's always something on the Google Calendar. Before I know it, the kids will be turning 1 and 5! So I continue to live up to the name, LilMisBUSY.
We spent a weekend in Bridgton, Maine, at Camp Kingswood. The event was sponsored by Hannah's preschool, and we spent a lovely Shabbat with other small children and their families. Since I LOVED my summers at GUCI in Zionsville, Indiana, it was a blast to get to introduce Hannah and Max to the camp experience. We slept in a cabin (though I don't remember the beds being so awful when I was 10 or 12!), ate in the dining hall, swam in a lake, tried archery, did arts & crafts, went to services, had song sessions, got bug bites and scraped knees, had a campfire and made smores. We told each other stories (about the "Fish Tailor" or "Fish Taler" depending on your telling) to get to sleep and met interesting people. It was wonderful to spend three days as a family, without TV and housework distracting us. Hannah left telling new friends that she'd be back next year.
The following weekend was a little more low-key, with Tot Shabbat on Saturday and a trip to the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston on Sunday. Marc's parents joined us for the zoo, which worked well. When they left they took Hannah with them, and she spent most of the past week in Hartford, as her school was closed. We've never been apart for so long, and I missed her so much. However, she had an amazing time there, getting lavished with attention (and lots of new toys!). And it was great to have the alone time with Max, who is getting so big so quickly. He now has four teeth and is doing some real crawling, though he seems to prefer scooting around on his belly when he can manage it. He also seemed to find his voice while Hannah was gone, taking the opportunity to get a word in, finally!
On Thursday night the three of us drove to Hartford and reunited with Hannah. And then we really packed all the best parts of summer into one day that Friday. We got up pretty early and drove to Hammonasset Beach, getting to the beach for the first time all summer. Hannah loves being in the water and jumping in the waves, and Max seems to like it too, though I did have to stop him from gnawing on a rock he found in the sand! It was a little cool, so we didn't spend much time there, and found a great place for lunch - coincidentally named Fish Tale! We had a nice lunch outside and Hannah got to ride on a carousel, another staple of summer in New England. After lunch we headed out to the Mystic Aquarium, which we've tried to get to for the last three summers, and we finally made it. Hannah has been very into jellyfish, and had a great time there. We just didn't feel like ending the day, so after dinner we decided to try mini-golf (or putt-putt, which is what I really want to call it!). It was a bit tough since one of us had to hold Max the entire time, but Hannah actually seemed to enjoy it. I know that was influenced by Troy Bolton being a golf pro in High School Musical 2, but hey, whatever it takes. It was a truly great day, and I'm so glad we did it.
Saturday was also busy, with a wedding for one of Marc's MANY cousins. Josh and Michelle looked so happy, and the weather was mostly agreeable. It was great to see all of our extended family. Hannah is totally in her element at a wedding, and many thanks for the bride and groom for graciously dancing with her so often! Max also seemed to have a great time. He loved the music and, if I may say so myself, loved dancing with his mommy. He looked very handsome in his little sailor suit, and Hannah was very pretty in her pink gingham dress. Afterward my in-laws offered to watch the kids so Marc and I could go out, and we had a great dinner at a place we'd never been to before, but hope to definitely go back to again.
And today we went to Old Sturbridge Village. We were lucky to get in for free today as a benefit of our membership in the local PBS affiliate, which was worth the membership fee right there! Hannah got so into it, and our aspiring fashion designer loved seeing the old spinning wheels and looms and, of course, the clothes. She was the perfect age to enjoy all the activities, and I had fun making dipped candles and a candle holder with her.
The best part of this busy weekend is that I still have tomorrow off! I'll be able to get the laundry done and the house put back together before we have to get back to work and a very busy week coming up. And I actually had the time to sit and write this very long post, which never would have occurred under normal circumstances. Four day weekends are awesome!!!
So I'm now ready for fall to bring it on. The next few weeks are going to be a bit challenging - I have wisdom tooth removal to look forward to - but also another wedding coming up and our temple annual BBQ, which I have been helping to plan. Then the High Holidays begin. There's always something on the Google Calendar. Before I know it, the kids will be turning 1 and 5! So I continue to live up to the name, LilMisBUSY.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Vanished Summer
Unbelievably, we're a week into August already. Tonight, my best friend from high school, Betsy, is staying with us. We first discussed these plans some six months ago, and I'm not sure how the night has arrived already.
This summer has been a drag. Between the issues with my heel and many other medical traumas in the lives of those around me, not much has happened in a carefree summer way. By the third week of the cast, it was becoming more and more difficult for me to get around with it. My body had adjusted to walking in strange ways, and when I finally got it removed, it took a while for me to trust my leg again. But just days later, I threw a wonderful surprise party for Julie's 30th birthday, and tried to temporarily forget my own pain. Unfortunately though, Julie then began dealing with health issues of her own, which brought a new degree of fear and worry into my life.
Just after that, we had the unexpected passing of Marc's grandmother. Instead of spending a weekend in Hartford relaxing with family and playing at the beach, it became a difficult weekend of emotion and exhaustion. And because of my never-reliable body reaching it's maximum stress-handling breaking point, I came down with an eye infection to boot.
And just so I don't neglect to mention it, we also had a draining doctor's appointment with Max, the result of which is that he will be getting outfitted for a helmet to be worn almost constantly to treat plageocephaly (his flat head) for about 3 months. And to think this was actually the least major thing we had to deal with!
So as the title suggests, this summer seems to have just vanished. We haven't done much, and have actually found it difficult to justify some outings with gas prices as they are. This weekend will be pretty low key too. Though low key, so long as there are no more medical crises, kind of sounds good.
I am trying to look forward to fall.
This summer has been a drag. Between the issues with my heel and many other medical traumas in the lives of those around me, not much has happened in a carefree summer way. By the third week of the cast, it was becoming more and more difficult for me to get around with it. My body had adjusted to walking in strange ways, and when I finally got it removed, it took a while for me to trust my leg again. But just days later, I threw a wonderful surprise party for Julie's 30th birthday, and tried to temporarily forget my own pain. Unfortunately though, Julie then began dealing with health issues of her own, which brought a new degree of fear and worry into my life.
Just after that, we had the unexpected passing of Marc's grandmother. Instead of spending a weekend in Hartford relaxing with family and playing at the beach, it became a difficult weekend of emotion and exhaustion. And because of my never-reliable body reaching it's maximum stress-handling breaking point, I came down with an eye infection to boot.
And just so I don't neglect to mention it, we also had a draining doctor's appointment with Max, the result of which is that he will be getting outfitted for a helmet to be worn almost constantly to treat plageocephaly (his flat head) for about 3 months. And to think this was actually the least major thing we had to deal with!
So as the title suggests, this summer seems to have just vanished. We haven't done much, and have actually found it difficult to justify some outings with gas prices as they are. This weekend will be pretty low key too. Though low key, so long as there are no more medical crises, kind of sounds good.
I am trying to look forward to fall.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Roll Call
I'm curious to see if anyone is actually reading this thing. Not that I'm expecting to achieve great fame and glory through my very limited posting, which offers no great insight on life or information of true value, but just out of serious curiosity. I've been making more of an effort to comment on what I'm reading lately, so if you've stopped by, drop me a note in the comments to let me know. Thanks, and happy reading!
Hannah Takes Manhattan
Despite the injury, I haven't really had much time to slow down. This past weekend, Marc and I took Hannah to New York City for the first time. Max stayed with my sister- and brother-in-law (thanks again!!!) and we took the train into the city.
It was a jam-packed weekend! We spent an afternoon at the Natural History Museum and caught a show at the planetarium. Hannah was particularly interested in the depiction of a whale eating a squid, and seemed to like the dinosaur fossils as well. We spent the evening in Times Square, and rode the ferris wheel at Toys R Us. The following morning we took in a street fair and spent some time in Bryant Park before enjoying Hannah's first Broadway show - The Little Mermaid.
The show was great, and Hannah seemed to love every minute of it. I'm a big Broadway fan and would go all the time if I could, and I think as she gets older, it will be something Hannah and I will get to enjoy together. The show was very well done too - I'd definitely recommend it to anyone with a princess-loving child. There was a little boy in front of us who was maybe 3 years old, and he ooh'd and ahh'd at all the right places, which was just adorable (and made me miss Max terribly!). All in all, a wonderful, exhausting weekend. I can't wait to go back.
It was a jam-packed weekend! We spent an afternoon at the Natural History Museum and caught a show at the planetarium. Hannah was particularly interested in the depiction of a whale eating a squid, and seemed to like the dinosaur fossils as well. We spent the evening in Times Square, and rode the ferris wheel at Toys R Us. The following morning we took in a street fair and spent some time in Bryant Park before enjoying Hannah's first Broadway show - The Little Mermaid.
The show was great, and Hannah seemed to love every minute of it. I'm a big Broadway fan and would go all the time if I could, and I think as she gets older, it will be something Hannah and I will get to enjoy together. The show was very well done too - I'd definitely recommend it to anyone with a princess-loving child. There was a little boy in front of us who was maybe 3 years old, and he ooh'd and ahh'd at all the right places, which was just adorable (and made me miss Max terribly!). All in all, a wonderful, exhausting weekend. I can't wait to go back.
Extreme Strawberry Picking
I have spent the last two weeks with a cast on my leg, from my toes to my knee.
The Saturday after the week I've just described below, we decided to go to a strawberry farm. I'd never done this activity before, and since I particularly love strawberries, I was very excited. Unfortunately though, after picking just one strawberry, I fell when I placed my foot in a tire track from the farm's tractor. I was holding Max as I fell, and I guess I did it in such a way that he came out of it just fine...but I ended up with a fractured heel.
I was basically incapacitated for four days until I finally got the cast. I should have it on for just three weeks, but needless to say, it's not fun. While I am incredibly relieved that I am not more injured, this has been a great inconvenience. I actually miss driving - and that is a statement I never expected to make in my entire life.
The other annoying factor is having to tell and retell the story each time someone encounters me and my giant piece of plaster. At first, I felt really silly saying I fell at a farm. People seem to want a more glamorous story. So it's taken two weeks, but I finally have a good opening line: extreme strawberry picking. Whoever said I wasn't into sports!
I have one more week to go, and am praying that everything will look good when I am x-rayed again. In the meantime, I am hobbling around as best as I can, and am very thankful that Marc has been a big source of help to me over the last few weeks.
The Saturday after the week I've just described below, we decided to go to a strawberry farm. I'd never done this activity before, and since I particularly love strawberries, I was very excited. Unfortunately though, after picking just one strawberry, I fell when I placed my foot in a tire track from the farm's tractor. I was holding Max as I fell, and I guess I did it in such a way that he came out of it just fine...but I ended up with a fractured heel.
I was basically incapacitated for four days until I finally got the cast. I should have it on for just three weeks, but needless to say, it's not fun. While I am incredibly relieved that I am not more injured, this has been a great inconvenience. I actually miss driving - and that is a statement I never expected to make in my entire life.
The other annoying factor is having to tell and retell the story each time someone encounters me and my giant piece of plaster. At first, I felt really silly saying I fell at a farm. People seem to want a more glamorous story. So it's taken two weeks, but I finally have a good opening line: extreme strawberry picking. Whoever said I wasn't into sports!
I have one more week to go, and am praying that everything will look good when I am x-rayed again. In the meantime, I am hobbling around as best as I can, and am very thankful that Marc has been a big source of help to me over the last few weeks.
A Chapter Ends
I have had a few blog posts rattling around my brain for a while now, yet seemingly no time to actually write them, so I will attempt a little catch up.
Hannah's school year came to a close a couple of weeks ago. There was a crazy week where it seemed every day was monumental. On Monday, we had her end of the year party and "graduation" ceremony. On Tuesday she went on her first field trip, to Drumlin Farm, and she is still talking about it. Wednesday was her official last day, which was quite emotional for her. Then she spent Thursday and Friday at the back up daycare center in my office building. It was quite a week.
I am a little sad to see that chapter of her life come to an end. She has one more year as a preschooler, and I can't believe how quickly the past two years have come and gone. I felt proud of her and all of her classmates - they've grown and accomplished so much. I will miss seeing all of these kids and hearing about Hannah's daily adventures with them.
Hannah has since moved on to her new program, and so far it is a giant success. I don't think it even took her the whole first day to feel at home there. I am thrilled that the transition went so smoothly, and it gives me great hope for her entrance to kindergarten in another year. But gosh, my little baby is so grown up already.
Hannah's school year came to a close a couple of weeks ago. There was a crazy week where it seemed every day was monumental. On Monday, we had her end of the year party and "graduation" ceremony. On Tuesday she went on her first field trip, to Drumlin Farm, and she is still talking about it. Wednesday was her official last day, which was quite emotional for her. Then she spent Thursday and Friday at the back up daycare center in my office building. It was quite a week.
I am a little sad to see that chapter of her life come to an end. She has one more year as a preschooler, and I can't believe how quickly the past two years have come and gone. I felt proud of her and all of her classmates - they've grown and accomplished so much. I will miss seeing all of these kids and hearing about Hannah's daily adventures with them.
Hannah has since moved on to her new program, and so far it is a giant success. I don't think it even took her the whole first day to feel at home there. I am thrilled that the transition went so smoothly, and it gives me great hope for her entrance to kindergarten in another year. But gosh, my little baby is so grown up already.
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